MANILA, Philippines -- Farms aren't what they used to be. Today, some of them can be found in gated communities, where the "farmhouses" are architectural showcases. This new breed of farms is called the leisure farm. They're composed of several lots that have enough space for a house and for the residents to grow various vegetables and fruits. At Leisure Farms in Lemery, Batangas, for instance, every house on each lot can occupy only 20 percent of the total lot area. The rest of the space is reserved for farming. Developed by Landco Pacific, the place is more of a vacation spot for its residents, who have the option to till in their own properties.
Among the more prominent residents of Leisure Farms are Lilia and Eric Abad Santos. This retired couple is best described as "Sunday farmers." They don't do the actual cultivating. After all, they don't look like your usual farmer; Lilia Abad Santos is an elegant lady who once worked as a real estate broker. Husband Eric looks very distinguished and was the director of purchasing, distribution, and personnel departments of Proctor & Gamble Philippines and consultant in P&G's Asia-Pacific companies. Instead, the staff of Leisure Farms does the farming work for them. Leisure Farms can also sell the produce for the residents but the Abad Santos couple opted to waive that service. "We just consume the produce ourselves, so we don't need to shop at the palengke anymore," says Lilia Abad Santos while laughing. "And we also give to the children and friends."
The Abad Santos farm produces Indian mangoes, calamansi, and kalabasa, among others. These agricultural products, however, often take a backseat to the farmhouse, which is an architectural marvel. The home is composed of three connected domes, which house the living room, dining area, and kitchen. From afar, the domes resemble three giant mushrooms or beehives. This overall look is the result of the many ideas the couple and their architect Danny Ibay had.
"When we bought the lot, we just wanted to have a pavilion built," says Eric Abad Santos. "We already have a vacation house in Tagaytay, so there was no need to build another house in Lemery, which is just an hour's drive away from Tagaytay. The pavilion would just be a place to rest in whenever we visited the farm. But later on, we told Danny to add a living room, and then a kitchen and dining area. The place just expanded as we planned the house!"
Lilia Abad Santos marvels at their architect, who is known for his unique concepts. "But we always let it be known that we have our own ideas and what we wanted to build was a very Filipino house, using bamboo and nipa. I said I wanted to build a replica of the classic Ifugao hut. I liked the concept of having the living quarters on the second level, while the first level is used for storage," she says.
Architect Ibay then thought of designing a circular house, as he suddenly became inspired by the igloos of the Eskimos and the shape of the beehive. Thus, these three ideas were fused together to form what is now the distinctive Abad Santos residence at Leisure Farms. As it was agreed that a living room and a kitchen would be included in the plan, three enormous beehives were built. Each of them stands roughly two storeys high.
To make this concept a reality, the couple hired contractor Mark Taylor to build the house. To turn the design into an actual house, Taylor used steel to build the three beehives. He then covered the steel with hardwood. Inside, the steel is hidden by bamboo nailed to the steel. "It took more than three months to install the bamboo on the ceilings of the three domes," says Eric Abad Santos.
While the look of the house is one of a kind, the architecture actually follows today's concept of a modern house. Huge windows were installed to allow natural light and the breeze to enter the place. "Cross ventilation is always our requirement," says Lilia Abad Santos. "The house has to be cool at all times."
The house is indeed literally and figuratively "cool." It's an avante garde take on the traditional bahay kubo; a circular version. Its domed ceiling makes the place feel airy and this is enhanced by the extensive use of indigenous materials like bamboo. It's also awesome. Looking straight up at the ceilings, one can imagine Michelangelo standing on a ladder and painting another masterpiece in the house.
The place and its interiors are works of art in their own right. Most of the wooden furniture is locally made and many of them were designed by Ibay. Attracting attention are the long, circular sofas that line almost every wall of the main beehive. Ensconced by the windows, Lilia Abad Santos says they're comfortable enough to sleep on.
A real bedroom is located in a loft, located above the dining room in one of the beehives. This is where the couple stays. "This was a late addition to the house," says Eric Abad Santos. "It was never in the original plan."
"We call it our nest," adds his wife. "The children are comfortable in the living room. We have our living quarters above. Bu there is still enough room to add more rooms and lofts."
Like the rest of the house, the loft is sumptuously furnished and decorated with Filipino pieces. It's a room that certainly fits the gracious queen of these beehives
